The head of the global Olympic movement said on Wednesday that the rescheduled Tokyo Games faced "thousands" of logistical and financial problems and could go ahead before the northern summer of 2021. Though most people have assumed the Games will be held around roughly the same July-August timetable as they were planned for this year, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said earlier dates in 2021 were possible. "The agreement is that we want to organise these Games at the latest in the (northern) summer 2021," he said. "This is not restricted just to the summer months. All the options are on the table including the summer 2021." Bach said he could not guarantee all elements would remain as initially planned after the decision to postpone the Games from their original date in July-August this year. He said he did not know what would happen with the athletes' village, for example, where apartments were set to be sold after the Games, at the back end of 2020. "This is one of the many thousands of questions this task force will have to address. We hope and we will do whatever we can so that there is an Olympic village, the village is where the heart of the Games beat," he said. Australian Associated Press

'All options on table' for Tokyo Oly dates

IOC president Thomas Bach says the 2021 Olympic Games may not necessarily happen in northern summer.

The head of the global Olympic movement said on Wednesday that the rescheduled Tokyo Games faced "thousands" of logistical and financial problems and could go ahead before the northern summer of 2021.

Though most people have assumed the Games will be held around roughly the same July-August timetable as they were planned for this year, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said earlier dates in 2021 were possible.

"The agreement is that we want to organise these Games at the latest in the (northern) summer 2021," he said.

"This is not restricted just to the summer months. All the options are on the table including the summer 2021."

Bach said he could not guarantee all elements would remain as initially planned after the decision to postpone the Games from their original date in July-August this year.

He said he did not know what would happen with the athletes' village, for example, where apartments were set to be sold after the Games, at the back end of 2020.

"This is one of the many thousands of questions this task force will have to address. We hope and we will do whatever we can so that there is an Olympic village, the village is where the heart of the Games beat," he said.